“REMEMBER THE PERSECUTED”


Many of you are aware of the interest and involvement I have had with the issue of Christian persecution around the world. For years, I have coordinated a prayer and advocacy group here at Hilmar Covenant: “Friends Of the Persecuted Church.” These people are activists, shining a light on the terrible things that many of our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ endure in the countries where they live, simply because they love Jesus. Each month, I put together a newsletter with a particular focus (persecuting country, prisoner, issue, etc.), a list of leaders and addresses for writing letters of protest and advocacy, specific situations, people, and updates to pray for, opportunities to support organizations that are addressing Christian persecution, and “FYI” news related to this important issue. Many of you are also aware of the significant relationship we had with two Nigerian and two Filipino Christians who were imprisoned for years in Egypt, raising thousands of dollars to support them and assist them with their daily living and legal needs. I was even able to visit two of these men in Kanater Men’s Prison outside of Cairo when I went to Egypt during my sabbatical in Israel in 2006.

This month, I realized that it has been 12 years since our “Friends Of the Persecuted Church” advocacy group first organized! This is amazing to me; that we have been able to sustain this ministry for this long, and that people continue to be committed to such an intense issue. Often, when people get excited and involved in such difficult, emotional, on-going issues, they burn out after a few years. The disturbing, never-ending, depressing realities become overwhelming and eventually get to people and they can’t take it anymore. A few “FOPC” people have stepped back and removed themselves from our group, but not very many. The on-going commitment and involvement from most of the team is a testimony to their willingness to stand in solidarity with those who never gain relief from persecution either.

The Hilmar Covenant Church “Friends Of the Persecuted Church” truly embody the verse from Hebrews 13: “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” (v. 3)

To acknowledge the consistent commitment and work of our advocacy group, I decided to start this new year with an account of what has occurred these twelve years to inspire and encourage the 23 members of our “FOPC” team. This was the focus of our January 2010 newsletter. I decided it would make for an interesting blog post, so I am making it my entry for this week.

And just maybe, it will challenge, inspire, and encourage some of you out there to join our “FOPC” group too! I already send four envelopes each month to people who do not attend our church, so if you would like to commit to our important work, just send me your address and I will add you to the team.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HILMAR COVENANT CHURCH’S “FRIENDS OF THE PERSECUTED CHURCH”

I first became aware of the issue of Christian persecution through a video in November of 1997: “Shatter the Silence.” It was produced for the second annual “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church” Sunday, and somehow, I got ahold of a copy. When I viewed it, I was completely stunned, disturbed and outraged. I, like many American Christians, was not aware of the extent of persecution happening to believers around the world. I did not realize that more Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than in all the previous 19 centuries combined, since Christianity first began.


And I never imagined that this issue would become the long-term passion and commitment that it has--not only for me, but for all of you too!

I invited others to view the video on a Sunday evening at church (including some of you who are reading this brief history right now) and several felt the way I did, wanting to take an activist approach to the issue of Christian persecution. In January 1998, I put out a plea for people of Hilmar Covenant to join a “Friends Of the Persecuted Church” prayer and advocacy team, and so our group was born. Our first monthly newsletter came out in March of that year, and the country focus was China.


Our group continues its important ministry today--12 years later! Who can believe that we are still at it, writing and donating, reading, speaking and praying about the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters all around the world. Many things have happened along the way too:

--we have highlighted Christian persecution every November in worship on “The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church”--sometimes in very creative ways!

--we highlighted Christian persecution for many years in the monthly church newsletter and on the bulletin board before the sanctuary was refurbished.

--we endorsed the “International Religious Freedom Act” that Congress passed in 1998, getting people in the congregation and in town to sign petitions and to call our elected officials in Washington to support the bill (it passed in October of that year!).

--we hung a huge banner, “Remember the Persecuted,” on the front of our church to let everyone traveling on Lander Ave. know about Christian persecution, and we sold bumper stickers for people to put on their cars to bring this issue to people’s attention.

--we got the congregation involved with “Blankets of Love” in 1999 and collected over 100 blankets to send to Sudan.

--our “Friends” group has been featured twice in “The Covenant Companion.”

--Wendy Lawton and I participated in a Pacific Southwest Conference workshop on Christian persecution in 2000.

--several of us attended a “Voice of the Martyrs” day-long regional meeting in Sacramento.

--we did a graphic re-enactment of what persecuted Christians face when soldiers burst into church one Sunday during our worship service, guns drawn, accosting several worshipers, and threatening the congregation, just to give our people a taste of the fear and uncertainty that these Christians live with every day .

--we got connected with Jacob Oky, a Nigerian Christian in prison in Egypt, in 2003. This relationship expanded to include three other Christians in the prison, Martin Emeto, Nestor Tamisen, and Paterno Fabuna. We raised thousands of dollars to help them with their finances, and I was able to see Jacob and Martin face to face when I visited Egypt during my sabbatical in 2006.


--we have donated funds to Persecuted Church organizations for all kinds of needs and causes.


--many of you have given funds and materials to Persecuted Church organizations on my behalf at Christmas.

--we have written all kinds of letters on behalf of persecuted Christians to our national leaders, government leaders around the world, various heads of state, military and law enforcement people, diplomats, and ambassadors asking for an end to persecution, the release of prisoners, for justice on behalf of persecuted believers, and to stop the death penalty from being carried out.

--we have written letters to persecuted Christians to encourage them.

--we have PRAYED!

Through it all, I would like to think that our “Friends Of the Persecuted Church” team has made a difference---an impact--on the lives of many people regarding this issue of persecution. We have spread the word, educated, interceded, encouraged, and supported. Our constant, faithful, intentional attention to Christian persecution has borne much fruit! Though we might not know every person that we have influenced, God is aware of our efforts, and I look forward to the time when He says to each of us: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You remembered those in prison and those who were mistreated (Heb. 13:3).” And then we will see exactly who and how many benefited and were affected by the work of our team.

Thank you for your faithful perseverance in prayer and advocacy on behalf of the Persecuted Church.